Kobalt has long been reputed as the brand that makes top-notch lighter-weight miter saws and this sliding miter saw is a prime example of that.
We tested this sliding compound miter saw for months with different materials to really find out its limits.
In this post, we will discuss whether or not it’s worth the hype. We will also provide some alternatives you can look towards if the Kobalt Miter Saw is not quite what you need.
| IMAGE | NAME | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | ★ WINNER ★ Kobalt 7-¼” Sliding Compound Miter Saw | This sliding compound miter saw uniquely has a die-cast Aluminum body that makes it extremely lightweight. You’ll have no trouble carrying it out of storage and to your workspace. It features positive miter and bevel stops that can be utilized to make cuts at many of the most common angles found in woodworking. | Check on Amazon |
| IMAGE | NAME | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | ★ Alternate #1 ★ Milwaukee 7-¼” Dual-Bevel Miter Saw Kit | This dual-bevel miter saw is battery-powered and can run for a long time on just a single charge. Indeed, a single charge can provide you with almost (or sometimes, over) 600 cuts. Not only that but it also weighs just 28 pounds which makes it one of the lightest miter saws in the market. | Check on Amazon |
  | ★ Alternate #2 ★ DEWALT 7-¼” Cordless Miter Saw | This miter saw from DEWALT is also cordless and can provide up to 183 cuts when cutting lumber and around 275 cuts of 3-¼-inch crown. It features positive stops on the miter scale at the most used angles. They’re very simple to change and can easily be utilized when needed. | Check on Amazon |
Quick Summary of the Main Product
Due to its die-cast Aluminum structure, this Kobalt Miter Saw is extremely lightweight compared to most other miter saws. This makes it a great option if your projects involve you traveling from place to place. You’ll have no trouble carrying this miter saw around.
The saw comes with a vertically mounted laser guidance system which makes it extremely easy to make precise cuts on different types of materials. It’s also something that could be very suitable for beginners as it will help them develop the intuition they need.
The miter saw is also small and compact in size in addition to being lightweight. This makes it very easy to operate in a cramped space. Not to mention its dual-slide rail system which enables even new users to make the most precise cuts with ease.
Features and Benefits
High Accuracy
When it comes to cutting wood, you may be just simply chopping it or you may need to make precise cuts in order to create complex objects from it.
For these two purposes, you can definitely have two different saws but that can oftentimes be a hassle. Not to mention that many people are unable to afford it as well.
The Kobalt 7-¼” sliding miter saw can perform both of these functions with ease. It’s definitely the saw to get if you want to do both with ease.
Highly Durable Blade
If you’ve never changed the blade of a miter saw before, we can tell you that it’s one of the most annoying experiences one can ever have.
That’s why durability in a blade is such a sought-after quality: People want the blade to last as long as possible so they can avoid having to change it for as long as they can.
You’ll be pleased to hear that the blade that comes with the Kobalt 7-¼” miter saw is extremely durable and long-lasting.
We tested the miter saw over many months with many different materials and only had to change the blade once. Even that was only because we were putting this saw through an unreal amount of stress during testing.
If it were operating under normal conditions, we’re fairly sure we wouldn’t have had to change the saw blade even once.
Laser Guidance System
The miter saw has a vertically mounted laser guidance system that users can utilize to determine where the blade will land on the piece of wood during cutting.
As you can probably imagine, this can help you out immensely during cutting and enable you to create impeccably precise cuts.
Veterans love laser guidance systems like these since it allows them to work faster while maintaining the same amount of accuracy.
In addition to veterans, beginners can have a great time with this feature as well. This is because it can help them develop the intuition they need to be a great and accurate woodworker.
Once you work with this laser guidance system long enough, you will develop the intuition to determine where the blade will land on the wood. Soon, you won’t even need the laser to know where the cut will happen.
Excellent Build Quality
The Aluminum construction of the Kobalt 7-¼” Miter Saw doesn’t just serve to make it lightweight but also makes it highly durable.
It does so due to the fact that it’s resistant to both rust and corrosion. As you can imagine, this enables it to last an extremely long time and withstand several harsh conditions you could put it through.
If you want a miter saw that will withstand the test of time and last you for many years, then this is definitely a viable option.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy the Kobalt 7-¼” Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Size
Since the Kobalt Miter Saw is a 7-¼-inch miter saw, it is best utilized when you are using it to create precise and intricate cuts.
It’s definitely not suitable for working with boards, lumber and logs.
However, with soft and many hardwoods, you can use it efficiently to create intricate cuts that can be used to make complex objects.
Sliding or Compound?
The Kobalt Miter Saw is a sliding compound miter saw which means that you can pivot it backwards and forwards in addition to left and right.
This allows you to easily extend the length of the cut. Thus, boosting the versatility of the Kobalt Miter Saw by a long shot.
Laser Guide or No Laser Guide?
As mentioned above, the Kobalt Miter Saw does indeed come with a laser guidance system.
The laser guidance system is vertically mounted and you can utilize it any time you’re doing any cutting with the saw.
It’s useful to veterans for faster cutting and it’s useful to beginners for developing intuition.
Pros and Cons
- Simple to use
- Extensive cutting angles
- Durable build quality
- Lightweight
- Small and compact
- Difficult to use for left-handed individuals
Social Proof
Naturally, we were not just satisfied with our experience of the product.
We wanted to know what other people thought of the Kobalt 7-¼” Sliding Miter Saw and what their experiences had been like with it.
We were pleased to see that most of the people that bought it from Amazon had a wonderful time using it. People love its low weight and how easy it is to maneuver and use.
Here are some reviews we found:
Similar to Kobalt 7-¼” Sliding Compound Miter Saw (Recommendations)
1. Best Dual-Bevel Alternative - Milwaukee 7-¼” Dual-Bevel Miter Saw Kit Review
This miter saw from Milwaukee is one of the best options you can go for if you want a dual-bevel saw for your woodworking needs.
It’s battery-operated which is always a concern among woodworkers since many miter saws don’t really have the greatest battery life. However, this miter saw can conduct up to 600 cuts on a single full charge.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Milwaukee 7-¼” Dual-Bevel Miter Saw Kit
Size: It’s a 7-¼-inch miter saw and since it’s battery-operated, you can easily use it in smaller spaces to create intricate and complex cuts with soft and hardwoods.
Sliding or compound: It’s a sliding dual-bevel saw that can create compound, beveled and angled cuts with ease and efficiency.
Laser guide or no laser guide: This miter saw features an LED cut-line indicator that shines on the wood in order to indicate where the blade will land. It’s highly accurate and you can utilize it every time for the most precise cuts.
- Easy to use
- Small form factor
- Great battery life
- Cordless
- Extremely lightweight
- Relatively expensive
Best Dual-Bevel Alternative
The best dual-bevel alternative is the Milwaukee 7-¼” Dual-Bevel Miter Saw Kit thanks to its great construction and dual bevel cutting capabilities. It can be utilized to perform all types of beveled and compound cuts which makes it an extremely versatile miter saw.
2. Best Cordless Alternative - DEWALT 7-¼” Cordless Miter Saw Review
Whenever we test a product by DEWALT, we know it’s going to be good. This cordless miter saw was no exception.
It features a premium construction with a blade that has not dulled out on us even after months of use.
Positive stops can be found all across the miter scale at commonly used angles. Thus, you’ll have no trouble creating common cuts on the wood and the process will also be much quicker.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy DEWALT 7-¼” Cordless Miter Saw
Size: It’s a 7-¼” cordless miter saw and it can easily be utilized to create intricate cuts for craftsmanship and other complex cutting.
Sliding or compound: It’s a sliding compound saw that you can use to create cuts of longer length with ease.
Laser guide or no laser guide: It comes with a shadow line indicator that actually works better than most laser guidance systems we have tested.
- Easy to use
- Easy to set up
- Long-lasting
- Great construction
- Lightweight
- Cordless
- Relatively expensive
- Relatively low battery life
Best Cordless Alternative
The best cordless alternative is the DEWALT 7-¼” Cordless Miter Saw thanks to its battery operation and sturdy construction. It’s extremely easy to use and the fact that it’s cordless makes it super simple to maneuver within smaller spaces.
Looking for more detailed reviews? We’ve got them right HERE.
Buyer's Guide
Size
Miter saws are available in a number of different sizes and these different sizes typically fulfill different purposes.
You can get a miter saw in sizes of 7-¼, 8, 10 and 12 inches.
Smaller miter saws are much cheaper and also require a lot less electricity to run. Not only that but they also have a smaller form factor and are fairly lightweight. This makes them easy to store and also easy to carry around for different projects.
That being said, smaller miter saws can only cut through softer woods and they’d get damaged if you were to try to cut hardwood or other harder materials with them.
If you want to regularly cut harder materials such as hardwood, sheet metal, etc., then you’d have to invest in a larger miter saw (12 inches).
Sliding or Compound?
Next, you must decide whether you want to buy a compound or a sliding miter saw.
Compound miter saws are relatively cheaper and they are also easier to use. They can be a good option if you are just getting into woodworking.
Compound miter saws can pivot left and right which allows them to create angled cuts in two planes. They’re the perfect option if you want to create compound cuts to create fairly simple objects. Examples of such objects would be picture frames, door frames, etc.
However, if you want to work on fairly intricate and complex projects, then you may be better off with a sliding miter saw. These miter saws can move forwards and backwards in addition to left and right.
This allows you to easily extend the length of a cut. This makes them much more suitable for working with lumber, logs and boards.
Laser Guide or No Laser Guide?
You’ll notice while browsing for miter saws online that many of them come equipped with a built-in laser guidance system. This system allows you to easily visualize where the blade will land on the wood when you are performing a cut.
Naturally, this makes the job much easier and it’s definitely a wanted system if you want to create precise and accurate cuts.
It’s also a feature you may want if you’re a beginner and are new to woodworking. It takes years to develop the intuition needed to determine where the blade will land on the wood when working with a miter saw.
If you have a guidance system with a laser, it can help you develop this intuition much more quickly and easily.
Wrapping things up
This brings us to the conclusion of our Kobalt 7-¼” Sliding Miter Saw review.
We’re thoroughly impressed with the sliding miter saw and its cutting capabilities. Its construction is highly unique and we’re really confident that it’s going to last us an extremely long time.
It’s super easy to use and the fact that it’s so lightweight makes it a great option for on-the-go woodworkers.
If you have any more questions regarding the Kobalt 7-¼” Miter Saw, please let us know in the comments below.
CLICK HERE, for tool reviews and more.